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Speech to the FEATI UNIVERSITY Graduating Class of 2012
By Commencement Speaker: Engr. Camilo M. Tabalba
FEATI University Commencement Exercises, Philippine International Convention Center, April 20, 2012
Chairman of the Board - Prof. Felisberto G.L. Reyes, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer - Mr. Francisco A. Segovia, President - Dr. Adolfo Jesus R. Gopez, Members of the FEATI Faculty and Administration, Distinguished Guests, FEATI Alumni, Graduating Class of 2012, Ladies and Gentlemen, GoodMorning. “Magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat, maayong buntag sa inyong tanan. Ako po ay Pilipino Senior Citizen, Dual Citizen. Pasensiya na po kayo, mag-English na po ako, mas kaya ko po iyon.”
Congratulations Graduates!
I thank the Administration, and the Graduation Committee for inviting me. It is an honor and privilege to be your guest speaker.
First, let us thank your parents, families, and your loved ones, who have made it possible by their sacrifices for you to be here today. Let us give them a round of well-deserved applause.
Today is the first day of your Freedom. You are liberated from your guardians – your professors, your tutors, and your examiners. Free from homework, free from worries over your tuition fees.
Take a deep breath, enjoy the moment, look up, there is a blue sky up there, and the best is yet to come.
Let me help you visualize a framework for your potential contribution to the explosive growth of technology. You can be part of this future either as employee or entrepreneur-businessman.
I am reminded of Dr. Gregorio Y. Zara, who in my student days was the Vice President of FEATI, and the Dean of Engineering. Dr. Zara demonstrated an airplane designed with an engine fueled by alcohol.
Looking forward to the future, I Googled the latest technology forecast, and I found this prediction: by year 2050 the airplane travels in 3 hours from Paris to Tokyo, powered by biofuel made from seaweeds. In the Philippines, this is a big opportunity for the businessman among you. Imagine farming seaweeds. We have 7,000 islands, which can be surrounded by seaweeds!
Dr. Zara invented an airplane with an engine powered by alcohol, a biofuel. He was a century ahead of his time when we refer to this prediction for the Year 2050. But the invention could not be developed then, in the 1950’s. Many more phases were needed to get the plane off the ground, and many more will be needed to get it into commercial use.
What are these phases? Let me share with you my experiences, because in the nearly half century of my engineering career in England and in Canada, I was engaged in research product development and support in the world of Telecommunications.
These phases are: design the prototype, test it, produce all the engineering documents, release to manufacturing, support manufacturing, installation and maintenance, marketing and sales.
The central phase is the Development and Engineering. It involves many multi-disciplined professionals.
For example, in developing a new digital central office switch in Nortel where I worked, there was a large team. The team of electronic and electrical engineers designed the circuit boards, and computer control boards with custom semiconductor chips. Mechanical engineers designed the shelves and cabinet. Software engineers programmed the software.
Product Integrity engineers tested the production prototype to comply with the customer specifications and statutory standards. After this comprehensive integrity testing, the engineering documents were released to the marketing division.
The possibilities are there for you in the product development phases, in manufacturing, in marketing and sales, and in technical support. You can take advantage of these possibilities whether as an employee or as a businessman.
Prepare right now to get there. Start to cultivate core values for success. I chose top 5 for you to consider; for your Personal Integrity and the Anchor to your Success.
1. Know yourself. (You are No. 1. Think “Me, Incorporated”)
Know your strengths and weaknesses. Are you assertive (bossy)? Are you amiable (social animal)? Are you analytical (numbers man)? Are you a dreamer (wishful)? The “assertives” become Presidents and Chairman of the Board, the dreamers become Marketing Directors, the amiable become top salesmen, the analysts become great scientists and innovators. If you have all four personality types, you have the talent to be a millionaire businessman in no time at all.
In any role, your measure of success is what makes you proud.
2. Curiosity for Creativeness. (Meaning: Kailangan po “makulit” kayo)
Curiosity breeds creativeness, because you will observe and try to improve a product, or process. Creativeness leads to inventions.
As an example, the inventor of the telephone, Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, was curious about improving speech for his patients.
Creativity is a renewable resource; you can never run out of it. “Yun pong makulit ay makulit” forever and that is Good!
3. Continuous Learning for Competence. (“Akala po ninyo, tapos na ang pag-aaral, he he, hindi po.”)
Education is a continuous process. You have just taken the first steps of lifelong learning. You must continue reading, writing, and more “arithmetics”. Visit the libraries. Right there for free, you can read trade journals and magazines, you can borrow books on science, technology and business. Go and attend seminars and trade shows. Grow intellectually, everyday throughout your working life and family life.
Competence is time sensitive – keep it updated constantly, lest you lose it.
(“Kung baga tulad ng itak o bolo, kailangan ihasa para hindi maging mapurol.”)
4. Learn from Mistakes.
To quote Michael Jordan, “I can accept failure. Everybody fails some time. But I cannot accept not trying”, or, to quote Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player in Canada, “You miss 100% of the shots you never take.” (“Tulad ko po, kung may mali and Tagalog ko, hindi po bale. Pasensya na lang po kayo.” But I will try again and again.)
So, always aim high, take your best shot, and be not afraid of making mistakes. They can be your greatest learning opportunity, learn from them and try again.
5. Ask. (“Magtanong po ay hindi biro!”)
There is no such thing as a stupid question in any language.
The salesman or the businessman lives by it: he asks, and asks, not just to make a sale but to know what the customer really wants.
Soon in your working life, you may think you know what you are doing and your boss may leave you alone until a big mistake happens.
Always remember to ask for information, the giver loses nothing, but feels happy for helping you.
So, remember these: Know yourself. Be curious (“makulit”). Stay sharp (“matalim”). Ask (“Magtanong para malaman”).
You are young, highly educated, and full of hope and enthusiasm. “What is the future?” (You may be asking this question.)
Welcome to your bright future as I can see it.
I see the Wind of Change blowing from West to East. The Global Economy has already started to move to the East. iPhones and iPads are made in China, as an example. Steve Jobs, the creator of these products, told President Obama that the manufacturing will never go back to the USA. It is a threat for the USA, the West. A technocrat assistant to President Obama, said something profound, “Those who outsource manufacturing will soon find they have outsourced their innovative edge too.”
In the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, recently, I saw a poster stating that the Philippines is now no. 4 in shipbuilding. Believe it or not, this I know, for there is a Filipino sailor in almost all merchant marine ships, and there is a Pinoy in every port.
Our Philippine Trade consul in Canada said we now have a semiconductor foundry, and that nearly 80% of the semiconductor chips that go in cell phones are “Made in the Philippines.”
Last month Microsoft held the “Who Dunn IT2012” to showcase software developers in Manila.
The Microsoft Philippines marketing director said: “Filipino community definitely has the inherent potential to become world class innovators.” The next ground breaking computer technology could be labelled “Made in the Philippines.”
The latest study by the Hong Kong and China Banking Corporation forecast that the Philippines will rise to the 16th rank in the world economy, by the year 2050, surpassing many countries in the European Zone. We have proof that we are already on our way. You are the generation that will build and grow this future.
Congratulations once more – FEATINIAN Graduates of 2012. “Look up young man, look up young woman”.
God Bless Us All, God Bless Our University, God Bless the Philippines.
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